We are coming to HK!!!

[inprov]

The relo negotiations seemed to have worked out. We are coming in around Christmas. I am so nervous, I do not even know where to begin. My husband's company has never relocated anyone before, so we are flying by the seat of our pants and not working with a relo company.

How long will our visas take from the US? We have 3 children who we will need to situate in school. Are the international schools difficult to get into? We are going to come and look for apartments first, instead of going for a serviced apartment, I think. We are coming for 1-2 years and want to streamline things for the kids, since they hate moving.

My husband will work in Shatin and I am looking at the American School in Kowloon Tong. I want a walkable neighborhood with some expats, good shops, culture and public transit. I do not want to have a car.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

[KnowItAll]

>> How long will our visas take from the US?

First of all congrats. Hope it all went according to plan ...

4 to 6 weeks if all the paper work is done correctly.

Kowloon Tong is nice, specially the area near Broadcast Drive.. I'd look around on gohome.com.hk and see whats available in your budget range.

[discobay]

You've picked a good area. Kowloon Tong is well served by public transport; you have the MTR (underground railway), KCR (overground railway), (large) bus interchange, mini buses and a taxi rank. The shopping centre there is huge with quality shops, restaurants and a larger than average supermarket.

[Sleuth]

We are in the same boat, although we are ahead of you by a couple of months. This is my company's first truly international relo.
When looking for an apartment, keep in mind that an apartment in HK can be "for lease" and "for sale" at the same time. So make sure you have a solid #2 choice and don't stop looking until the lease is signed. (This happened to two out of two of us.)
Really no need for a car anywhere in HK. The bus-train-subway will get you anywhere you want to go and you can always take a taxi in the end.

[inprov]

Sleuth,

Where are you now? Are you already in HK? All of this has transpired in a matter of weeks for us? Where are you living? Where are you working?
What did you do with your house? I have a million questions for you! Do you have kids in school?
I am a complete basketcase right now.
No relo company is involved... They are paying for housing and education as well as our move. We had a small salary increase, but do not really care, as we just want to be in HK!
Is a January 1 target date absolutely crazy?

Thanks!

[Richack10]

Hi Inprov,

Know what you are going through, found out yesterday I will be relocating to HK at the start of next year from the UK with a company that hasn't relocated anyone b4. Does tend to turn you a bit crazy when it becomes a reality... And I don't have any kids or anything to worry about!

You say your company are paying for the move but no relo company is involved. Your husband should talk to the company and try to get someone involved if possible, after all they're picking up the bill anyway. One of my biggest worries when planning and budgeting was figuring out shipping costs, air vs. sea freight etc etc. As soon as the company confirmed they were bringing in specialists it was a huge weight off my mind.

[Sleuth]

Inprov,
I am in Atlanta, but heading to HK on the 18th (sounds so much better than "next Wednesday").
Unlike you, this has been a slow-motion thing here. I have known about this possibility for over a year and I have made several business trips to HK where the company let me have a couple extra days to look at housing and do some research. I also made one 2 week house-hunting trip which went perfectly until the landlord sold the apartment we were trying to lease 12 hours before we flew home.
I have 1 child, but he will be 6 months old when we arrive. There is plenty of schooling and child advice on Geobaby. And the American Women's Association has been great.
We are selling our house in Atlanta and it isn't a good time to be doing that. But, we will be in HK for 5 years and we can't leave it vacant and trying to be a landlord from 8,000 miles away won't work.
I am going to be working across the border in Shenzen, so our housing search has narrowed to the New Territories. There is a guy in the office living in Kowloon Tong (One Beacon Hill) and it takes him over an hour to get to work.
Feel free to pm me with any questions.

[WSinHKG]

Greetings! We are also relocating to Hong Kong, shooting for February 15th of next year. We have two kids, a 4 1/2 year old and a newborn who'll be four months old by the time of our move. We'll be doing the serviced apartment thing at first, and have heard good things about Happy Valley. I'll be working in Central...

Perhaps a newbie get together might be in order post-Chinese New Year?

[Sleuth]

Perhaps a newbie get together might be in order post-Chinese New Year?

Works for me!

[inprov]

Dave and I love to throw parties. Last time we moved it was a 1980s prom party, which is a big formal dance at the end of high school. It was hilarious. Everyone wore 80s prom gear from Ebay or secondhand stores.

We will be more low-key this time, but would be more than happy to host!